On Sunday, an incident occurred on the Hemkund Sahib trail when a glacier slid, endangering the lives of pilgrims. Six devotees, who were part of the last batch, had departed from Hemkund Sahib on time but due to fatigue, they could only reach the Atalakurdi area by 6 PM.

While the pilgrims were passing through the Glacier Point, suddenly the ice shifted, blocking their path. The pilgrims got trapped amidst the ice. The personnel of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) reached the scene and rescued five of the pilgrims from the ice. However, 37-year-old Kamaljeet Kaur from Amritsar went missing.

In a rescue operation today, efforts were made to find a woman who went missing in the snow near Atalakurdi Glacier Point on the Hemkund Sahib pilgrimage route. At around 6:30 am, the body of the trapped female traveler was recovered from the snow by the SDRF (State Disaster Response Force). Meanwhile, heavy snowfall has blocked the pilgrimage route, halting the journey.

Returning pilgrims trek back to Ghangaria on the same day

There is no overnight accommodation available for pilgrims in Hemkund Sahib. Every day, pilgrims undertake a six-kilometer trek from the base camp in Ghangaria to reach Hemkund Sahib on foot. After taking a dip in the Hemkund Sarovar and prayer at the Gurudwara, they return to Ghangaria.

On Sunday, six pilgrims, who were part of the last batch, left Hemkund Sahib on time but due to fatigue, they could only reach Atalakurdi at 6 pm. While passing through the glacier point, when the pilgrims were crossing, suddenly the snow shifted, causing them to get stuck in the snow. The SDRF personnel reached the scene and rescued the five pilgrims from the snow.

Rescue operation carried out for these pilgrims

The rescued pilgrims include Kamaljeet Kaur’s husband, Jaspreet Singh, along with their daughter Manseerat Kaur, and family members Pushpreet Kaur, Manpreet Kaur, and Ravneet Singh. Furthermore, District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana informed that all five pilgrims were treated at the hospital in Ghangaria Gurudwara. Among them, three are women.

These days, the Hemkund Sahib area is experiencing scorching heat, causing the glacier to slide downward. The region still has a layer of ice, ranging from six to seven feet. In the approximately three-kilometer stretch from Atalakurdi to Hemkund Sahib, most of the pilgrimage is being conducted through narrow lanes formed between the ice.

Moreover, with the weather returning to normal, the snow is rapidly melting along the path of faith to Hemkund Sahib. Seeing this, Hemkund Sahib Management Trust has decided that there will be no restrictions for the elderly and children to undertake the pilgrimage.